Traffic down by 10 per cent at Frankfurt Airport

Fraport, the largest of Germany’s airport operators, reported on Wednesday that traffic at its airports declined sharply in January due to a combination of severe winter weather, weakened demand and work stoppages.

According to the company’s figures, traffic at Frankfurt Airport, which is the second-busiest in continental Europe, fell by 10.4 per cent, to 3.5 million passengers, as compared with the same month in 2008.

Fraport noted that it had been hit hard by Lufthansa cabin crew strikes during the month, and that weather conditions were worse than in January of the previous year.

Frankfurt cargo traffic was down substantially for the month, by 24 per cent, to 124,208 metric tons, the operator said.

Frankfurt flights decreased by seven per cent in January, to 35,448. The aircraft traffic decline was due in part to service reductions introduced by some carriers. Lufthansa Cargo recently announced that it was cutting back by 10 per cent on its available capacity, as freight markets around the world contract.

The airports operator has ownership stakes in numerous airports outside Germany, as well, including Burgas and Varna airports in Bulgaria. Figures for the entire Fraport group showed a drop in passenger traffic of seven per cent, a decrease in cargo tonnage of 23 per cent and a six per cent decline in aircraft movements.

In contrast with the decline in traffic in Germany, Fraport reported continuing growth at some of its other majority-owned airports. The Antalya, Turkey airport saw eight per cent growth for the month, and the Lima, Peru airport showed growth of nine per cent.

www.fraport.com